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During the spring of 1779, Antonio Gil Y'Barbo founded present day Nacogdoches with the settlement of 350 men, women, and children at the location of the abandoned Nacogdoches mission, and he constructed his stone house sometime between the years of 1788 and 1791. The stone house was a landmark in Nacogdoches through the control of eight different governments in East Texas--Spain, the Magee-Gutierrez expedition of 1813, the James Long's Republic of 1819, the Republic of Fredonia of 1826, Mexico, the Texas Republic, the Confederacy, and the United States of America. Local legend tells that Sam Houston took the oath of allegiance to the Republic of Texas in the house, and Davy Crockett spent two nights there on his way from Tennessee to the Alamo. "Under its roof Jim Bowie and Stephen F. Austin also spent many days in trying times" (Post: 'Preserve the Old Fort', Tuesday morning, March 11, 1902).
The variety of owners and uses of the stone house contribute to the rich texture of Nacogdoches life in the late eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries. "During it's history, the original house served variously as a public building, grocery store, candy store, saloon, and as a temporary fortification during the Magee-Gutierrez, Dr. James Long and Fredonia Rebellion filibusters" -(Carolyn Spears, Curator of the Stone Fort Museum).
In 1902, the oldest stone house in the state of Texas was demolished in order to make room for a more modern structure. After five years of fundraising, the Cum Concilio Club succeeded in raising enough money to erect a memorial building on Washington Square, and on July 4th of 1907, the Club laid the cornerstone for the memorial structure. The memorial building incorporated some of the original stones from Y'Barbo's stone house, and was used for a variety of public functions. In 1936 a replica of the original stone house was built on the campus of the Stephen F. Austin State Teachers College. The memorial structure was torn down and some of the original stones from Y'Barbo's stone house were reused in the construction of the Stone Fort Museum, which is still in use today. (Y'Barbo's Stone House Exhibit)

Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of deeds and other documents relating to the ownership of the Stone Fort and the lot on which it stood from 1841 to 1901.

Page 1
The State of Texas } Whereas, Harriet Roberts
Nacogdoches County } has this made executed and delivered unto Susan A H Roberts wife of her son Lycurgus S. Roberts, all of the State and county aforesaid a certain deed in writing wherein she conveyed unto said Susan A. H. Roberts a certain lot in the town of Nacogdoches together with the house thereon situated, known as the "Old Stone Fort" And said Harriett Roberts desires to rent said house and lot
Therefore know ye all man by these presents, that I, Susan A. H. Roberts aforesaid, for an in consideration of the sum of one dollar per annum beginning from the date of this instrument, have bargained granted and leased and by these presents do bargain grant and lease unto the said Harriett Roberts A certain Stone house and lot situated in the town of Nacogdoches aforesaid, on Main Street, measuring about forty varas front and about one hundred varas back more or less. Said house known as the "Old Stone Fort" together with all and singular the rights members and appurtenances to the same belonging, and the rents accruing therefrom, for the time of her natural life - And the said Susan A. H Roberts is joined herein by her husband Lycurgus S. Roberts-
Witness our hand and seal using a scroll for sale (sic) - this 11th day of August A D 1873
Witnessed } Susan A. H. Roberts {seal}
J. Repp } L. S. Roberts {seal}
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Page 2
The State of Texas }
Angelina County } Before me the undersigned Notary Public in and for said County personally appeared Susan A. H. Roberts wife of Lycurgus S. Roberts whose name appears to the foregoing deed or instrument of writing bearing even date herewith the said Susan A. H Roberts being examined by me privily and apart from her husband and having the same fully explained to her acknowledged the same to be her act and deed and declared that she had signed and sealed the same willingly and for the purposes therein mentioned and that she wished not to retract it- to certify which I hereunto sign my name and affix my seal - this the 11th day of August AD 1873.
And came also L S. Roberts whose own signature appears to the foregoing instrument of writing, and acknowledged that he signed and sealed the same for the purposes therein mentioned.
Given under my hand and official seal this the 11th day of August AD 1873
Jas. G. McKnight J P and
Notary Public, A C

Rights

This item may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. It is available for non-commercial research and education. For permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the East Texas Research Center at asketrc@sfasu.edu.

This item may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. It is available for non-commercial research and education. For permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the East Texas Research Center at asketrc@sfasu.edu.